Astronomy News for the Month of March 2024

	Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program. For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website. (Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)

"Mercury (seen here near center during its best 2023 evening elongation) reaches its best evening elongation of 2024 this month." Astronomy Magazine, March 2024, p. 28. - Alan Dyer

The Month At-A-Glance
A calendar displaying the daily astronomical events.

• The Moon passes 0.3° north of Antares on the 3rd.
• The Moon passes 4° south of Mars on the 7th.
• The Moon passes 3° south of Venus on the 8th.
• The Moon passes 4° north of Jupiter on the 13th.
• The Moon passes 3° north of Uranus on the 14th.
• Venus passes 0.3° north of Saturn on the 21st.
• The Moon passes 0.3° north of Antares on the 30th.

  For reference: The Full Moon subtends an angle of ~0.5°.

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  Experts Pick the Top Stargazing Events for 2024

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  The Planets & Dwarf Planets

  Planetary Reports generated by "TheSkyX" software. These reports provide predicted data for the planets for the first of each month for the current year. The rise and set times for the Sun and the Moon for each day of the month as well as meteor shower radiants are also included in the reports. These reports have been optimized for the Denver, Colorado location, however, the times will be approximate for other locations on Earth.

  (All times are local unless otherwise noted.)

  Planetary Highlights for March "The evening sky of springtime hosts Mercury, Jupiter, and Uranus. It's a good last chance to catch the richness of the jovian atmosphere, plus a few interesting events involving the Galilean moons. Venus dominates the morning sky, visible in brightening twilight, while Mars and Saturn progressively come into view late in the month. And if we're lucky, Comet 12/P Pons-Brooks might put on a good show for binoculars as it crosses Andromeda, Pisces, and Aries." Astronomy Magazine, March 2024, p. 28.
  	Mercury Is at greatest eastern elongation (19°) on the 24th when it reaches its best appearance for the year. Mercury sets at 6:01 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:42 p.m. by month's end. Look for Mercury in the evening sky very low on the western horizon about 30 minutes after sunset. Mercury moves from the constellation of Aquarius into Pisces shining at magnitude -1.2 on the 15th.
  	Venus Rises at 5:33 a.m. on the 1st and about 6:12 a.m. by month's end. Look for Venus low to the east before sunrise. Venus moves from the constellation of Capricornus into Pisces shining at magnitude -3.9 on the 15th.
  	Earth Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. local time on the 10th for most of the U.S. The Vernal Equinox occurs at 11:06 p.m. EDT on the 19th.
  	Mars Rises at 5:24 a.m. on the 1st and about 5:27 a.m. by month's end. Look for Mars low on the eastern horizon before sunrise. Mars moves from the constellation of Capricornus into Aquarius shining at magnitude 1.2.
  	Jupiter Sets at 10:48 p.m. on the 1st and about 10:16 p.m. by month's end. By the time the Sun sets, Jupiter is visible in the southwest. Jupiter is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude -2.1.
  	Saturn Rises at 6:38 a.m. on the 1st and about 5:45 a.m. by month's end. Try to observe Saturn just before sunrise, low on the eastern horizon during the last half of the month. Saturn is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 1.0.
  	Uranus Sets at 11:30 p.m. on the 1st and about 10:34 p.m. by month's end. Uranus follows less than an hour behind Jupiter, visible in the southwest soon after sunset. Uranus is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude 5.8.
  	Neptune Is in conjunction with the Sun on the 17th. Neptune sets at 7:04 p.m. on the 1st. After conjunction, Neptune returns to the morning sky, rising about 6:16 a.m. by month's end. Look for Neptune soon after sunset, low on the western horizon during the first few days of March. After that, Neptune is lost in the twilight glow of the evening and morning skies. Neptune is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 7.8.
  	Dwarf Planets
  	Ceres Rises at 3:15 a.m. on the 1st and about 2:52 a.m. by month's end. Ceres is visible in the early morning sky to the southeast. Ceres is in the constellation of Sagittarius shining at magnitude 9.0.
  	Pluto Rises at 4:54 a.m. on the 1st and about 3:55 a.m. by month's end. Pluto is visible to the southeast before dawn. Pluto is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 15.3. As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed. Constellation information provided by Go Astronomy.

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  Astronomical Events

  	Meteor Showers There are a few minor meteor showers but none that produce rates much higher than 2-5 per hour, except the Gamma Normids that extend over the period of March 11 to 21, with the maximum occurring on March 16. The maximum rate reaches about 5-9 meteors per hour. Meteor Shower Radiant Report For more information about Meteor Showers, visit Gary Kronk's Meteor Showers Online web page. Meteor Scatter (or Meteor burst communications) - "is a radio propagation mode that exploits the ionized trails of meteors during atmospheric entry to establish brief communications paths between radio stations up to 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi) apart." Tune your shortwave or your HF amateur radio to 54.310 MHz SSB and see if you can hear any pings. Try other frequencies as well... 6m FT8 digital - 50.313 Mhz & 50.276 Mhz, JP-65 digital mode and the carrier frequencies of the lower VHF bands for TV channels 2, 3 & 4. Meteor Rx How-To by Terry Bullett (WØASP)
  	Comets Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks passes through the constellation of Andromeda into Pisces, visible through binoculars about 90 minutes after local sunset about 15° above the western horizon. It may brighten to 6th magnitude or brighter later in the month. Comet 144P/Kushida is visible passing through the lower part of the constellation of Gemini shining around 8th magnitude. Comet 62P/Tsuchinshan is passing through the Virgo cluster of galaxies. Comet C/2021 S3 (PanSTARRS) is visible at 7th magnitude in the southeast running up the Great Rift in the constellation of Aquila before sunrise. For information, orbital elements and ephemerides on observable comets, visit Observable Comets. For more information about Comets, visit Gary Kronk's Cometography.com webpage.
  	Eclipses Solar Eclipses No solar eclipse activity this month. Lunar Eclipses A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs on the 25th.
  	Observational Opportunities Look for Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune in the evening. Look for Venus, Mars, Saturn and Ceres in the morning.
  	Asteroids (From west to east) Vesta is in the constellation of Taurus. Juno is at opposition on the 3rd in the constellation of Leo. Information about the Minor Planets can be found at the Minor Planet Observer website.
  	Ocultations Information on various occultations can be found by clicking the IOTA logo.

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  Member Meteor Sightings

  In this section I will post meteor, fireball, etc sightings that have been published on the American Meteor Society's web site. I want to make this an active section of the web pages and newsletter and would like to publish the links to member sightings. If you have any published sightings, please provide me with the links and I will post them here for all to enjoy.

  Event ID	Date/Time	Location	Observer	Link
  3871-2015	2015-11-13 01:55 MST	CO	Charles N	3871a
  3587-2015	2015-11-22 17:38 MST	CO	Kevin S	3587aw
  3829-2015	2015-12-05 18:06 MST	CO	Burness A	3829a
  986-2020	2020-02-21 22:20 MST	CO	Lukas S	986
  3716-2020	2020-07-24 23:22 MDT	CO	Lukas S	3716
  4774-2021	2021-08-13 21:57 MDT	UT	Lukas S	4774
  7044-2021	2021-10-28 20:37 MDT	CO	Burness A	249058
  6763-2022	2022-10-06 05:56 CDT	OK	Mike C	6763
  5300-2023	2023-09-11 22:04 MDT	CO	Lukas S	5300
  578-2024	2024-01-28 23:05 MST	CO	Lukas S	578

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  Subscriber Gallery

  I have created a web page containing images taken and submitted by subscribers to the email newsletter, check-ins to the Colorado Astronomy Net and readers of the online newsletter. Any one wishing to submit their own images to the gallery, please let me know. The images must be taken by the submitter and be astronomy related. Please include a description and your information so that I can give proper credit to your work.

  Featured Images

  Trifid Nebula (M20)
  
  Image Courtesy of James Paulson (VE6CKY) - Wildcat Astronomy
  Taken: Summer of 2022
  Location: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
  Camera: Asi533mc, 30 x 2 minutes subs
  Telescope: Meade SN6, EQ6 Pro mount, autoguiding
  Processing: Asiair Pro, AstroPixel Processor, Photoshop

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  Planetary/Lunar Exploration Missions

  (Excerpts from recent JPL mission updates)

  	JPL Latest News The Latest from Space The Origin of JPL (a Youtube video-1 Hour 29 minutes). JPL Latest News February 26, 2024 NASA's Planetary Radar Images Slowly Spinning Asteroid Full Article & Images "During the close approach of 2008 OS7 with Earth on Feb. 2, the agency's Deep Space Network planetary radar gathered the first detailed images of the stadium-size asteroid. On Feb. 2, a large asteroid safely drifted past Earth at a distance of about 1.8 million miles (2.9 million kilometers, or 7 ½ times the distance between Earth and the Moon). There was no risk of the asteroid — called 2008 OS7 — impacting our planet, but scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California used a powerful radio antenna to better determine the size, rotation, shape, and surface details of this near-Earth object (NEO). Until this close approach, asteroid 2008 OS7 had been too far from Earth for planetary radar systems to image it." Read the latest news and discoveries from JPL's dozens of active space missions exploring Earth, the solar system and worlds beyond. Past, Present, Future and Proposed JPL Missions. For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador web site.
  	James Webb Space Telescope February 22, 2024 Webb Finds Evidence for Neutron Star at Heart of Young Supernova Remnant Full Article & Images "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has found the best evidence yet for emission from a neutron star at the site of a recently observed supernova. The supernova, known as SN 1987A, was a core-collapse supernova, meaning the compacted remains at its core formed either a neutron star or a black hole. Evidence for such a compact object has long been sought, and while indirect evidence for the presence of a neutron star has previously been found, this is the first time that the effects of high-energy emission from the probable young neutron star have been detected. Supernovae — the explosive final death throes of some massive stars — blast out within hours, and the brightness of the explosion peaks within a few months. The remains of the exploding star will continue to evolve at a rapid rate over the following decades, offering a rare opportunity for astronomers to study a key astronomical process in real time." More information on the James Webb Space Telescope mission is available at The James Webb Space Telescope website. The public can follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
  	Juno February 2, 2024 Io, Ready for Its Close-Up Full Article & Images "On Saturday, Feb. 3, the Juno spacecraft will sail past Jupiter's "tortured moon," following up a close flyby on Dec. 30, when it captured unprecedented images and data. Juno's encounter with Io was the closest since a visit by the Galileo spacecraft in October 2001. And Juno is scheduled to make another pass Feb. 3, studying the most volcanically active world in the solar system, only a bit larger than Earth's Moon. Io is caught in a tug-of-war between Jupiter's powerful gravity and the smaller pull from two neighboring moons, churning its insides and creating eruptions and lakes of lava that cover its surface. See where Juno is now, or sail along with the spacecraft during its Feb. 3 flyby, using NASA's 3D interactive, Eyes on the Solar System." Images from NASA's JunoCam. More information on the Juno mission is available at: Juno and Mission Juno. The public can follow the Juno mission on Facebook and Twitter.
  	TESS January 31, 2024 Discovery Alert: A ‘Super-Earth' in the Habitable Zone' Full Article & Images "The discovery: A "super-Earth" ripe for further investigation orbits a small, reddish star that is, by astronomical standards, fairly close to us — only 137 light-years away. The same system also might harbor a second, Earth-sized planet. Key facts: The bigger planet, dubbed TOI-715 b, is about one and a half times as wide as Earth, and orbits within the "conservative" habitable zone around its parent star. That's the distance from the star that could give the planet the right temperature for liquid water to form on its surface. Several other factors would have to line up, of course, for surface water to be present, especially having a suitable atmosphere. But the conservative habitable zone — a narrower and potentially more robust definition than the broader "optimistic" habitable zone — puts it in prime position, at least by the rough measurements made so far. The smaller planet could be only slightly larger than Earth, and also might dwell just inside the conservative habitable zone." For more information on the TESS mission, visit the Latest Tess Stories page.
  	Past, Present, Future and Proposed JPL Missions Visit JPL's mission pages for current status.

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  Mars Missions

  Be A Martian

  

  Mars website mobile version is here!

  	Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app. Download on Mobile Devices Android | iPhone | Windows Phone
  	JMARS JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.
  	Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics "The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) began in 1948, a decade before NASA. We are the world's only research institute to have sent instruments to all eight planets and Pluto.
  	LASP February 15, 2024 Empty Space: A LASP Artist in Residence Exhibition opens at the Boulder Public Library Full Article & Images "More than 100 people braved the snowy weather to attend the opening reception of Empty Space: A LASP Artist in Residence Exhibition at the Boulder Public Library's Canyon Gallery on Saturday afternoon, February 10. Community members were invited to view the work from artists, including a live dance performance and poetry reading. The event also featured a discussion with LASP researchers and the artists on how science and art are intertwined. The exhibition is the culmination of work from the Empty Space: A LASP Artist in Residence Program, sponsored by LASP and the CU President's Teaching Scholars Program through the Timmerhaus Fund, which supports faculty activities that promote public understanding of the value of CU degrees. The $30,000 award to David Brain, a researcher at LASP and chair of the Astrophysical & Planetary Science department, enabled three professional artists to learn over the last six months about the exciting space science research and innovative engineering happening at LASP."
  	MAVEN December 11, 2023 NASA's MAVEN Observes the Disappearing Solar Wind Full Article & Images "In December 2022, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) mission observed the dramatic and unexpected "disappearance" of a stream of charged particles constantly emanating off the Sun, known as the solar wind. This was caused by a special type of solar event that was so powerful, it created a void in its wake as it traveled through the solar system. Due to this event, MAVEN's measurements at Mars showed that the number of particles making up the solar wind dropped significantly. Without the pressure of the solar wind, the Martian atmosphere and magnetosphere expanded by thousands of kilometers. MAVEN is the only asset currently at Mars able to simultaneously observe both the Sun's activity and the response of the Martian atmosphere to these solar influences." Visit LASP and MAVEN for more information.
  	Mars 2020 - Perseverance February 29, 2024 Bunsen Peak Piques Interest Full Article & Images "Perseverance has continued its traverse west through the Margin unit. As the rover drives, images and data are obtained using instruments such as Mastcam-Z, Navcam, and SuperCam to track any changes in the chemistry or appearance of the rocks. Along the way, the science team used these images to pick out an exciting rock named Bunsen Peak. This rock was intriguing because it stands tall among the surrounding terrain and has some interesting surface texture on its left face, as seen in the image above. Another feature of the rock that stood out in the image was the near vertical face directly in front of the rover. A vertical face piques the interest of the science team for a couple of reasons: first, a vertical face of a rock could give a cross-sectional view of any chemical or physical layering that might be occurring in the rock. Second, a vertical face is usually less dust-covered, which is good news for our scientific instruments!" Learn more about the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission.
  	Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity December 28, 2023 NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures a Martian Day, From Dawn to Dusk Full Article & Images "Videos from the rover show its shadow moving across the Martian surface during a 12-hour sequence while Curiosity remained parked. When NASA's Curiosity Mars rover isn't on the move, it works pretty well as a sundial, as seen in two black-and-white videos recorded on Nov. 8, the 4,002nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rover captured its own shadow shifting across the surface of Mars using its black-and-white Hazard-Avoidance Cameras, or Hazcams." Visit the Mars Science Laboratory page.
  	Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission December 18, 2023 Ice Flows on Mars Full Article & Image "On Aug. 18, 2023, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured ridged lines carved onto Mars' landscape by the gradual movement of ice. While surface ice deposits are mostly limited to Mars' polar caps, these patterns appear in many non-polar Martian regions. As ice flows downhill, rock and soil are plucked from the surrounding landscape and ferried along the flowing ice surface and within the icy subsurface. While this process takes perhaps thousands of years or longer, it creates a network of linear patterns that reveal the history of ice flow." MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER HIRISE IMAGES All of the HiRISE images are archived here. More information about the MRO mission is available online.
  	Mars Odyssey Orbiter November 28, 2023 NASA Orbiter Snaps Stunning Views of Mars Horizon Full Article and Images "The Odyssey orbiter captured clouds and dust in the Red Planet's skies, along with one of its two tiny moons. Astronauts often react with awe when they see the curvature of the Earth below the International Space Station. Now Mars scientists are getting a taste of what that's like, thanks to NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, which completed its 22nd year at the Red Planet last month. The spacecraft captured a series of panoramic images that showcases the curving Martian landscape below gauzy layers of clouds and dust. Stitched end to end, the 10 images offer not only a fresh, and stunning, view of Mars, but also one that will help scientists gain new insights into the Martian atmosphere." Daily Mars Odyssey THEMIS Images Can be found at the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) website. Visit the Mars Odyssey Mission page.
  	Mars Missions Status New Mars missions are being planned to include several new rover and sample collection missions. Check out the Mars Exploration web page.

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  Astronomy Links and Other Space News

  (If you have a link you would like to recommend to our readers, please feel free to submit it.)

  

  Colorado Astronomy Links

  • Brighton Astronomy Group - Astronomy in Brighton, Colorado (under construction).

  • Cloudbait Observatory, Guffey Colorado - Submit your fireball reports here. Interesting, knowledgeable site.

  • Colorado Springs Astronomical Society - The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.

  • Denver Astronomical Society - The Deep Space Exploration Society is a Colorado based nonprofit organization dedicated to practical astronomy and space science education for students, the general public, and society members.

  • Deep Space Exploration Society - Promotes the enjoyment and understanding of astronomical phenomena, history and lore by providing educational and observing opportunities for our members, general public, and outreach activities at the University of Denver's historic Chamberlin Observatory, schools, and nature centers.

  • Little Thompson Observatory - Begin or sustain your interest in astronomy at LTO! The night sky is wondrous, filled with countless swirling galaxies, the planets, the moon and so much more. Many of these sights are easily visible from Earth, but few people have witnessed them personally.

    The Little Thompson Observatory can change that for you. Our mission is to help people of all ages learn about the universe by offering a first-hand experience with astronomy...

  • National Space Science & Technology Institute - NSSTI runs the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

  • Northern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy and to encourage and coordinate activities of amateur astronomers.

  • Rocky Mountain Star Stare - The Premier Star Party in The Rocky Mountains

  • SkyWatchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers is an astronomy and space exploration group that features expert presenters on topics such as the exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets, international space exploration missions, as well as other astronomy topics. We established Sky Watchers in 2014 and usually have about 35 attendees at our meetings.

  • Southern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Southern Colorado Astronomical Society, CSU-P and the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center welcomes everyone to participate in the discovery of our night sky.

  • Star Cruiser Bill's Astrophotography - Great astrophotography from Aurora Colorado.

  • Star Light-Star Bright Observatory - The observatory is part of the nonprofit National Space Science & Technology Institute's education and public outreach program.

    The goal of the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory, is to put the universe within reach of primary grade students and their teachers; along with being an educational asset for the community. The observatory is an educational project that was established in 2004 to serve young and old alike and provides the only free access to viewing the universe in the Pikes Peak Region.

  Radio Astronomy Links

  • AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, is a worldwide group of Amateur Radio Operators (Hams)... AMSAT's goal is to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication.

  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NRAO - Radio Astronomy news and information.

  • Radio JOVE Project - Radio JOVE students and amateur scientists observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy.

  • Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) is an international society of dedicated enthusiasts who teach, learn, trade technical information, and do their own observations of the radio sky.

  More Astronomy Links

  • "TheSky" - Astronomy Software by Software Bisque. It's where discoveries are made. Where astronomers unravel the mysteries and reveal the beauty of space. At the heart of this search lies Software Bisque and its family of precision-crafted robotic telescope mounts, astronomy software solutions and embedded systems. Tools that help quench the astronomers' thirst for scientific breakthrough and personal enrichment the world over.

  • A Sea of Stars - Voyages of a Merchant Mariner & Amateur Astronomer - I'm a retired Navy veteran, currently sailing with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command as an Operations Chief. My dominant interests are science (esp. astronomy), history and photography, and I enjoy naval and military wargaming WHEN I can find the time.

  • A Short Guide to Celestial Navigation - Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects — sun, moon, planets, or stars.

  • The ARRL - Amateur Radio Relay League - Information about amateur radio and how to become an amateur radio operator.

  • American Meteor Society - Provides amateur observers a place to learn about and report meteor, fireball and related sightings.

  • AstroBackyard - Welcome to the AstroBackyard Backyard of the Week! This is a place where we honor the hard work and dedication put into building an astrophotography rig to capture the glorious night sky. There are many ways to tackle this hobby, with varying types of telescopes, cameras, and mounts with one thing in common — they produce results!

  • Astrogirl Homepage - Astrogirl.org exists to educate, encourage and promote the hobby of amateur astronomy to people of all ages. It is the goal of this site to provide relevant information and resources to the amateur astronomer as an aid in their enjoyment of the night sky. It is a family-friendly, educational site and has been rated as a safe site for all ages.

  • Astronomia - Online web applications that use catalogues of astronomical objects. Applications and their description are also prepared in English.

  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

  • Astronomy Resources - This site has some good links a young, interested student wishes to share.

  • Beginners Guide To Astrophotography - A Quick & Easy Tutorial Of How To Take DSLR Astro Photography

  • Be an Astronomer right from your Window - At-home astronomy techniques.

  • Black Hole Encyclopedia - Excellent site from StarDate - University of Texas McDonald Observatory

  • Caelum Observatory - The LARGEST dedicated public telescope in the Southwest at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter!

  • Celestron Telescopes - Celestron telescopes.

  • Citizen Science - Citizen Science Projects - NASA's citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public.

  • Clear Skies Observing Guides - CSOG, short for Clear Skies Observing Guides is a new concept in visual amateur astronomy. It is a digital publication that will enable observers to target all deepsky objects and carbon stars within reach of their equipment.

  • The Constellations of the Night Sky - Good site for finding out more about the 88 constellations and their associated stars. Links to the constellations mentioned in the newsletter can be found on this page.

  • CosmoQuest - The place where you map other worlds, explore out universe and contribute to science.

  • Distant Suns - Desktop Astronomy package for PCs.

  • Dwarf II Smart Telescope - Introducing DWARF II - the world's most portable smart telescope controlled by the mobile app DWARFLAB.

  • EarthSky - Astronomy news.

  • Go Astronomy - Links to constellations, noted in this newsletter, as well as to promote and educate people about amateur astronomy.

  • Heavens-Above - As the name implies - What's up in the heavens, particularly satellite passes.

  • The International Dark-Sky Association - To preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies.

  • informED: 10 Teaching Tools for Educators - informED - Teacher Resources.

  • Isa's Astrophotography Atelier - Isabel Streit's exceptional astrophotography web page.

  • iTelescope.net - iTelescope.Net is the world's premier network of Internet connected telescopes, allowing members to take astronomical images of the night sky for the purposes of education, scientific research and astrophotography.

  • JPL Solar System Ambassador Program - "Volunteers Bringing the Solar System to the Public"

  • JPL Solar System - Jet Propulsion Laboratory information on our solar system.

  • K8JTK.ORG - Welcome to the home page of Jeffrey Kopcak. You will find pages and posts I wrote about my hobbies, interests, projects, and things I'm involved in.

  • Kids Space Center - Telescopes and Astronomy - Another site suggested by a young student - Great info about telescopes.

  • Mars Exploration, Mars Rovers Information, Facts, News, Photos - National Geographic - Mars Exploration - Investigating the Red Planet.

  • Meade Advanced Products Users Group - Mapug-Astronomy Topical Archive & information resource, containing a massive 335 page archive of discussions about Meade equipment, and much more: observatories, observing lists, permanent piers, equatorial wedges, remote operations, software, eyepieces, etc.

  • NASA - Lunar and Planetary Science - General information, Missions to Comets, Data, Press Releases, Meteors and Meteorites, Other topics of Interest.

  • NASA Science News - NASA missions, updates, astronomy news, excellent resource.

  • National Archives info on space exploration - Archives Library Information Center (ALIC) - Space Exploration - Information about the United States' space flight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who participate in the efforts to explore space.

  • Phys.org - Science News including Nanotechnology, Physics, Earth, Astronomy & Space, Technology, Chemistry, Biology and Other Sciences.

  • Predictions for Solar and Lunar Eclipses - A website dedicated to predictions and information on eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

  • Sky360 - What's in our skies? - Observational Citizen Science of Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond.

  • Skymaps.com - Free sky maps each month.

  • SKY-MAP.ORG - The main purpose of SKY-MAP is to consolidate astronomical, astrophysical and other information about different space objects and astrophysical facts.

  • Space.com - Interesting space and astronomy articles.

  • Spaceflight Now - Launches and satellite news.

  • SpaceLinks/Space Careers - SPACELINKS is a specialist staffing consultancy sourcing and supplying high caliber professionals for a wide range of world class organizations in the Space and Defense industry.

  • "SpaceRef.com" - SpaceRef's 21 news and reference web sites are designed to allow both the novice and specialist alike to explore outer space and Earth observation.

  • Space Weather - Check out what the sun is doing as seen from space.

  • Stellarium - Free, downloadable planetarium/astronomy software.

  • Sterling Images - Images both celestial and terrestrial by Sterling "Rip" Smith (K3XO).

  • Telescope Live - The New Home for Astrophotography and Remote Imaging - Online access to a global network of 10 robotic telescopes.

  • The Most Expensive & Amazing Telescopes In History - Some of the most expensive and amazing telescopes in history - From The Hub Post.

  • The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography - Looking up into the night sky with just your eyes and maybe a telescope is amazing on its own. But it can be even better when you photograph and record it for your memories.

  • Top 50 Astronomy NASA Photos of All Time - A list of the most interesting moments in the history of science - From The Hub Post.

  • Ultimate Resource Guide for Astronomy - The resources we have provided below cover everything from discussing what astronomy is all the way to social media groups that focus on this popular and interesting topic. Use this resource guide for finding some great sites on astronomy whether you are a teacher looking for lesson plan ideas, a student wanting to brush up on their knowledge, a college student looking for a career or you just love the stars and want the most from your experiences.

  • UniverseToday - Short, interesting articles about space and related topics.

  • Wildcat Astronomy - Astrophotography by James Paulson - Planetary and Deep Sky imaging at its best. Check out the Blog as well as the images for tips and tricks of astrophotography.

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  Astronomical Lexicon

  Definitions of astronomical terms. Many of the astronomical terms used in this newsletter are defined here.

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  Read the Universe Today Newsletter by clicking on the logo.

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  Acknowledgments and References

  Much of the information in this newsletter is from Astronomy® Magazine (Kalmbach Publishing), JPL mission status reports, the Internet, "Meteor Showers - A descriptive Catalog" by Gary W. Kronk, Sky & Telescope web pages, and other astronomical sources that I have stashed on my bookshelves.

  The author will accept any suggestions, constructive criticisms, and corrections. Please feel free to send me any new links or articles to share as well. I will try to accommodate any reasonable requests. Please feel free to send questions, comments, criticisms, or donations to the email address listed below. Enjoy!

  More Acknowledgements and References

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  73 from KIØAR
  

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